Power semiconductor devices are commonly utilized as switches or rectifiers in high-power electric circuits. Certain power semiconductor devices generate heat during operation and may thus require thermal regulation to ensure proper functioning. For this reason, assemblies employing multiple semiconductor devices are typically provided with some form of cooling system. Power inverter assemblies employed onboard electric or hybrid vehicles, for example, generally include an integrated cooling system that functions to conductively and/or convectively cool a plurality of active inverter switches.
One type of cooled inverter assembly comprises a plastic body (referred to as a “pressure spread”) disposed between a printed circuit board (e.g., a gate driver board) and a substrate supporting multiple inverter switches. The gate driver board is electrically coupled to the inverter switches via a plurality of electrical connections (e.g., pins, spring pins, wires, etc.). A heat sink (e.g., a metal body having a plurality of projections, or pin-fins, extending away therefrom) is disposed beneath the substrate. The pressure spread presses the substrate against the heat sink to place the active inverter switches in thermal contact with the heat sink. During operation, heat produced by the inverter switches is conducted through the substrate and into the heat sink's pin-fins, which are then cooled by a convective cooling source, such as air or a coolant liquid (e.g., glycol water).
Cooled inverter assemblies of the type described above are limited in certain respects. For example, due to a relatively high part count and the inclusion of a heat sink, such assemblies are typically bulky, less durable, and relatively expensive to employ. In addition, such assemblies are typically only moderately effective at dissipating heat. Liquid-cooled semiconductor assemblies, which actively circulate a coolant fluid over the semiconductor devices, are more effective at dissipating heat; however, such semiconductor assemblies typically employ an outlet array positioned over the semiconductor device that obstructs any direct electrical connection between the cooled semiconductor devices and a second semiconductor device (e.g., a printed circuit board) residing above the outlet array.
Considering the foregoing, it should be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a vehicular semiconductor cooling system incorporating an outlet array having an integral interconnect feature. It should further be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a vehicular inverter assembly employing such a cooling system that is relatively compact, durable, and inexpensive to employ. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.